Aglaonema plant named &#39;silver moon&#39;

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Aglaonema plant named ‘Silver Moon’, characterized by its symmetrical, round, relatively compact, full and dense plant form; freely branching habit; relatively thick stems and short internodes; broad leaves with obtuse bases and short petioles; bi-colored leaves with a silver green central zone and a dark green marginal zone.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAglaonema plant, botanically known as Aglaonema hybrid, and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Silver Moon’.

[0002] The new cultivar is a product of a planned and controlledbreeding program conducted by the Inventor in Altha, Fla. The objectiveof the breeding program is to create compact and full Aglaonemacultivars with attractive leaf coloration and patterns.

[0003] The new cultivar originated from a self-pollination made by theInventor of the Aglaonema hybrid ‘Silver Bay’, not patented. Thecultivar Silver Moon was discovered and selected by the Inventor as aplant within the resulting progeny from the self-pollination in acontrolled environment in Altha, Fla., in October, 1994.

[0004] Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by cuttings in Altha,Fla., since 1995, has shown that the unique features of this newAglaonema plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The new Aglaonema has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity,fertilizer rate, irrigation amount and frequency, and/or propagationprocedures without, however, any variance in genotype.

[0006] The following traits have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Silver Moon’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Silver Moon’ as a new anddistinct cultivar:

[0007] 1. Plants of the new Aglaonema are symmetrical, round in shape,relatively compact, full and dense, and are suitable for 15 to 25-cmcontainers.

[0008] 2. Plants of the new Aglaonema are freely branching.

[0009] 3. Plants of the new Aglaonema have relatively thick stems andshort internodes.

[0010] 4. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema are broad with obtusebases and have short petioles.

[0011] 5. Leaves of the new Aglaonema are bi-colored with a silver greencentral zone and a dark green marginal zone.

[0012] Plants of the new Aglaonema differ from plants of the parent, thecultivar Silver Bay, in the following characteristics:

[0013] 1. Plants of the new Aglaonema are shorter and slightly moreupright than plants of the cultivar Silver Bay.

[0014] 2. Plants of the new Aglaonema have shorter intemodes than plantsof the cultivar Silver Bay.

[0015] 3. Plants of the new Aglaonema have smaller leaves than plants ofthe cultivar Silver Bay. In addition, leaf bases of plants of the newAglaonema are obtuse whereas leaf bases of plants of the cultivar SilverBay are cuneate.

[0016] 4. Plants of the new Aglaonema have shorter petioles than plantsof the cultivar Silver Bay.

[0017] 5. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema are bi-colored whereasleaves of plants of the cultivar Silver Bay are tri-colored.

[0018] 6. Plants of the new Aglaonema have smaller spathes and spadicesthan plants of the cultivar Silver Bay.

[0019] Plants of the new Aglaonema can be compared to the Aglaonemacultivar Rhapsody in Green, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,975.However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Altha, Fla., plants ofthe new Aglaonema differ from plants of the cultivar Rhapsody in Greenin the following characteristics:

[0020] 1. Plants of the new Aglaonema are shorter, more rounded, morecompact, and fuller than plants of the cultivar Rhapsody in Green.

[0021] 2. Plants of the new Aglaonema have shorter internodes thanplants of the cultivar Rhapsody in Green.

[0022] 3. Plants of the new Aglaonema have thicker stems than plants ofthe cultivar Rhapsody in Green.

[0023] 4. Plants of the new Aglaonema have broader leaves than plants ofthe cultivar Rhapsody in Green. In addition, leaf bases of plants of thenew Aglaonema are obtuse whereas leaf bases of plants of the cultivarRhapsody in Green are cuneate.

[0024] 5. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema have shorter and thickerpetioles than leaves of plants of the cultivar Rhapsody in Green.

[0025] 6. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema have a more strikingbi-colored contrast than leaves of plants of the cultivar Rhapsody inGreen; that is, the central zone of leaves of the new Aglaonema is moresilver gray and the marginal zone is darker green than leaves of thecultivar Rhapsody in Green.

[0026] Plants of the new Aglaonema can also be compared to the Aglaonemacultivar Deborah, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,775. However, inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Altha, Fla., plants of the newAglaonema differ from plants of the cultivar Deborah in the followingcharacteristics:

[0027] 1. Plants of the new Aglaonema are shorter, more rounded, morecompact, and fuller than plants of the cultivar Deborah.

[0028] 2. Plants of the new Aglaonema have shorter intemodes than plantsof the cultivar Deborah.

[0029] 3. Plants of the new Aglaonema have green-colored stems whereasplants of the cultivar Deborah have white-colored stems.

[0030] 4. Plants of the new Aglaonema have slightly shorter and broaderleaves than plants of the cultivar Deborah.

[0031] 5. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema have shorter petiolesthan leaves of plant of the cultivar Deborah. In addition, leaf petiolesof plants of the new Aglaonema are green in color whereas leaf petiolesof plants of the cultivar Deborah are white in color.

[0032] 6. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema are bi-colored whereasleaves of plants of the cultivar Deborah are multicolor and mottled witha contrasting white midrib.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

[0033] The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overallappearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Aglaonema. The photograph on the first sheetcomprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Silver Moon’ ina 25-cm container about 14 months after planting a single rooted cuttingthat was about 15-cm tall. The photographs on the second sheet compriseclose-up views of the upper (top photograph) and lower (bottomphotograph) surfaces of typical leaves of ‘Silver Moon’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0034] The following observations and measurements were recorded onplants grown in Homestead, Florida, in polypropylene-covered shadehousesand under conditions which closely approximate those used in commercialhorticultural practice. The polypropylene shadecloth provided lightreduction of 73% of the ambient light level. During the production ofthese plants, day temperatures ranged from 18 to 41° C., nighttemperatures ranged from 15 to 32° C., and light level ranged from 800to 2,500 foot-candles. Plants used for this description were grown assingle plants in 25-cm containers and were about 14 months from plantinga rooted cutting that was about 15 cm tall. Fully developed plantstructures and organs were used for the following observations andmeasurements unless otherwise indicated.

[0035] In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. Numerical measurementsrepresent averages from typical plants of ‘Silver Moon’.

[0036] Botanical Classification: Aglaonema hybrid cultivar Silver Moon.

[0037] Parentage: Self-pollination of Aglaonema hybrid cultivar SilverBay, not patented.

[0038] Propagation:

[0039]Type.—By cuttings.

[0040]Time to develop roots.—Summer: About 21 days at 32° C. Winter:About 35 days at 21° C.

[0041]Root description.—Relatively thick, freely branching andcream-colored.

[0042] Plant Description:

[0043]Growth habit.—Symmetrical and rounded plant form; relativelycompact, full and dense. Freely branching. Appropriate for 15 to 25-cmcontainers.

[0044]Plant height.—About 46.4 cm.

[0045]Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 70.6 cm.

[0046]Plant vigor.—Vigorous.

[0047]Crop time.—About 12 to 14 months are required to produce afinished plant in a 25-cm container from a single rooted cutting, thatis about 10 to 15-cm tall.

[0048]Stem description.—Diameter: About 2.4 cm. Internode length: About1 cm. Color: Close to 147A or darker than 147A. Stems are not visibledue to the clasping nature of the petiole sheaths.

[0049]Leaf description.—Shape: Elliptic, asymmetrical. Apex: Acuminatewith some aristate tendencies. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Length,mature leaves: About 28.6 cm. Width, mature leaves: About 11.2 cm.Length to width ratio, mature leaves: About 2.6 to 1. Aspect: When firstunrolled, about 30 to 400 from stem axis; with development, to 55 to 750from stem axis. Surface: Slightly wavy. Texture: Relatively thick.Color: Young leaves,just after unfurling, upper surface: Bi-colored withtwo contrasting color zones. Central silver green (191B) zone about 5 to6 cm wide at mid-leaf; surrounded by marginal dark green (varies betweendifferent combinations of 137A, 146A, 147A and a color darker than 144A)zone, about 1.5 to 2.5 cm wide at mid-leaf. The edge between the twozones is irregular yet clearly defined. Few small isolated blotches ofgreen, similar in color to the marginal zone, are present in the centralzone, usually near to the marginal zone. Fewer small blotches of silvergreen, similar in color to the central zone, are present in the marginalzone, near the central zone. Primary veins are similar in color to thesurrounding tissue. Leaves, glossy. Young leaves, just after unfurling,lower surface: Between 146B and 147B. Proximal portion of midrib, closeto 146C. Primary veins darker than the surrounding tissue, between 147Band 147A. Mature leaves, upper surface: Bi-colored with two contrastingcolor zones. Central silver green (more silver gray and slightly darkerthan 191 A) zone about 6 to 7 cm wide at mid-leaf; surrounded bymarginal dark green (much darker than 147A) zone, about 2 to 3 cm wideat mid-leaf. The edge between the two zones is irregular yet clearlydefined. Few small isolated blotches of dark green, similar in color tothe marginal zone, are present in the central zone, usually near to themarginal zone. Fewer small blotches of silver green, similar in color tothe central zone, are present in the marginal zone, near the centralzone. Primary veins are similar in color to the surrounding tissue.Midrib very similar to or slightly darker and greener than thesurrounding tissue in the central zone. Primary veins, similar in coloras surrounding tissue, close to 147A. Leaves, glossy. Mature leaves,lower surface: Between 147B and 146A. Midrib close to 146B; primaryveins darker than the surrounding tissue, close to 147A.

[0050]Petiole.—Length, primary shoot: About 13.6 cm. Diameter, primaryshoot, at leaf blade junction: About 5.6 mm. Diameter, at wing apex:About 6.3 mm. Wing length: About 11.2 cm. Wing width, mid-section: About8 mm. Color: Young leaves,just after leaf unfurling: Close to 146C.Mature leaves, winged area: Adaxial, between 146C and 146D; abaxial,147B near leaf blade junction, proximally lighter, 147C. Mature leaves,above winged area: Between 147B and 147C. Mature leaves, wings: Adaxial,between 146B and 146C; abaxial, 146A near petiole, lighter towardsmargins, 146C.

[0051] Inflorescence Description:

[0052]Arrangement.—Spathes with spadices held relatively strongpeduncles. Flowering structures arise from leaf axils. About 4 to 5inflorescences per floral sympodium. Spathes on short pedunclessubtended by petiole base of a leaf which is smaller than other matureleaves. Peduncles thick, usually slightly bent and outwardly spreading.Spathes generally in alignment with the peduncle.

[0053]Time to flowering.—About 12 to 16 weeks from planting a rootedcutting.

[0054]Inflorescence longevity.—Spathes last about 8 to 10 weeks afteropening.

[0055]Fragrance.—Not detected.

[0056]Spathe.—Shape: Spathes are usually closed and are open forslightly more than one day when stigmas are receptive. When open,spathes are boat-shaped with aristate apices; margin, entire. Spadix ispositioned about 20° beyond the spathe axis. Length: About 7.7 cm.Width: About 1.9 cm. Length to width ratio: About 4.1 to 1. Color:Frontal surface: Lighter than 146D. Rear surface: Between 146C and 146D;midrib, 146A to 146B.

[0057]Spadix.—Shape: Columnar, tapering towards the apex. At base, zonewith few, about 8 to 13, single female flowers; zone above with numerousmale flowers. Spadix length: About 4.2 cm. Length of female zone: About8 cm. Length of male zone: About 3.9 cm. Diameter of female zone: About9.5 mm. Diameter of male zone: About 7.2 mm. Color: Female zone:Stigmas, between 160A and 160B; styles and ovaries vary between 158A,158B and 158C. Male zone, before pollen dehiscence: Varies between 158A,158B and 158C. Pollen, cream-white.

[0058]Seed.—Female flowers develop into berries that are ovoid with flatapices. One seed per fruit; seeds, between ellipsoid and ovoid in shape.

[0059]Peduncle.—Length: About 9.4 cm. Diameter: About 5.1 by 6 mm. Stipelength: About 1.2 mm. Color: 146A or slightly darker than 146A.

[0060] Disease/Insect Resistance: Plants of the new Aglaonema grown incommercial greenhouses have not shown any unusual susceptibility topathogens or insects common to Aglaonema.

[0061] Low Temperature Tolerance: Plants of the new Aglaonema have beenobserved to tolerate temperatures as low as 12° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Aglaonema plant named‘Silver Moon’, as illustrated and described.